The truth is, you can workout until you are blue in the face, but if you ignore your nutrition, you’re not optimizing your health. Nutrition can have a big effect on not only your health, but also overall quality of life. With conflicting information online and new trends and diets popping up every week, it can feel overwhelming to just get on the right track. Learning how to properly fuel your body doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few quick tips to get you started on getting your nutrition dialed in.
Shop the Perimeter of the grocery store
Most stores are set up the same way – meat and produce are on the perimeter of the store, and the aisles are typically stocked with packed and processed foods. Sticking to the perimeter of the store as much as possible will ensure you’re filling your cart with whole foods, and prevent the temptation to grab those sugary cereals or boxed dinners.
Keep it Simple
Come up with a plan for the week and stick to it. Planning just 2-3 different breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for the week will simplify your menu and grocery list, and is enough variety to keep things interesting.
Plan Quick, Healthy Meals for those busy days
Many stores now offer fresh veggies and rice that you can pop in the microwave and take 5 minutes or less to prepare! I’d also recommend keeping snacks on you at all times. A few nuts and a piece of fruit make a much better snack option than a muffin or scone when you’re hungry and can’t prepare a meal right away.
Meal Prep
This can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Start small! This week, just shoot for washing and chopping up your fruits and veggies for the week, and throwing some chicken breast in the crock pot. You’ll cut your cook time in half by doing this, and it’s a whole lot easier to talk yourself into eating at home when there’s something quick and easy already prepped.
Find Foods You Like
We all have preferences – you might hate broccoli but love spinach. Great! Eat more spinach. If you’re not into fish but like chicken, stick with that. Finding healthy foods that you actually like will make you feel more inclined to eat those things.
Eat More Green Veggies
They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, and you can sneak them into almost anything. I love to edit recipes to add a few more veggies. Adding a handful of spinach to your smoothies or soups doesn’t change the flavor, but gives you the perks of incorporating more greens into your diet.
Lastly – Don’t Stress!
Don’t try to completely alter your diet overnight. Studies show that individuals who create small, sustainable changes with their nutrition over a period of time are shown to be more successful at sticking to those changes in the long run. You can do this!
Have questions about nutrition? Ask your trainer or talk to one of our registered nutritionists at Hyatt Training. I’d also recommend checking out “Food Rules” by Michael Pollan for an easy read on some straight-forward tips to eat more healthfully!
Hyatt Training is a collective of certified, enthusiastic and innovative personal trainers in Portland, Oregon. To learn more about our personal trainers or to set up a free consultation to see how they could help you, email us at Go@HyattTraining.com. To read more nutrition-related posts like this one, follow this link.
